The violent weather system that
produced tornadoes the previous day had moved well east of the Plains providing
the opportunity for a little sight seeing. The chase team decided
to trek atop Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The ride
to the 14,110 foot summit took nearly an hour. At the top, we were
greeted with ice and snow, a temperature of 37 degrees, and
30+ mph winds. Due to the high altitude, many became quite dizzy,
including Pat Schneider who requested oxygen and had her blood pressure
checked.

On the journey back down the
mountain, we observed a black bear eating from a bird feeder on the front
lawn of a house. It
was a real experience to observe the wildlife and plant life both at the
base of the mountain and at the top. The students were able to observe
the change in plant and animal life as we ascended the mountain.
Going above the tree line proved to be the most unsettling due to the fact
no guard rails were on the road. One literally had a drop of more
than a thousand feet.

Pioneer productions also made
the journey with the chase team. They found the trip most enjoyable
as well as a relaxing break from three straight weeks of intense chasing.